The Private Land Stewardship
Academy
The Academy Design
This course emphasizes the importance of private lands and the collaboration between landowners and natural resource professionals that supports long-term conservation.
Students will explore private land stewardship, including its history, national and regional trends, common approaches and tools, and the legal, regulatory and economic factors that shape stewardship decisions. The course also examines how stewardship is fostered from multiple perspectives, including agencies, professional managers and landowners, while introducing the development of a land ethic.
While the core content and objectives of the Private Land Stewardship Academy will remain consistent, delivery methods, credit designations and administrative oversight may vary by institution. Collaborators are encouraged to adapt course materials to reflect regional needs and stakeholder priorities while maintaining the foundational principles of sustainable land stewardship that guide the academy’s mission.
Topics include:
• Ecological, economic, and social needs of private lands.
• Policies, compliance requirements, and conservation incentives.
• Effective communication with stakeholders through outreach, education and collaboration.
• Monitoring and evaluating stewardship efforts.
• Implementation of sustainable land management practices.
The Private Land Stewardship Academy is a collaboration between the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Texas A&M University, the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming, Mississippi State University College of Forest Resources, Montana State University, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Colorado State University Warner College of Natural Resources.